Karpusi Cat Clinic
by VampirePaladin
Summary: The relationship between Kiku and Heracles progresses over several trips to the Karpusi Cat Clinic. Ongoing story for trade with LoolieRocksLobster.
1. Emergency Visit

All was silent at the Karpusi Cat Clinic. It would be another two hours before they were scheduled to open for the day. Sleeping at the desk in the front was Matthew. In an office at the back was where Heracles was sleeping. They were also a veterinary hospital. Last night a cat that had been hit by a car was brought in. The surgery had taken most the night. By the time they had finished it was so late that by the time they went home, it would be almost time to turn around and head back.

A rattling came from one of the cages. Inside was a male Maine Coon. One paw reached out and began to manipulate the latch on his cage. The door swung open and he jumped down to the floor. The concrete felt good under his paws after spending the night in that cage. The stitches on his belly felt stiff, but that was not going to stop him. He puffed out his chest and strutted toward the door, trying to impress the lady cats. He nosed his way out to the door and into the waiting room where Matthew was still sound asleep at the desk. The cat jumped onto the small trash can lid and from there onto the desk. He crouched next to the polar bear coffee cup and began lapping up the cold coffee.

The phone began to ring.

Matthew sat up and rubbed his eyes. He reached for his glasses and put them on. Reaching for the phone, his hand was blocked by something solid and furry.

"Alfred, what are you doing out of your cage again? You ripped open your stitches," Mathew sighed, "again."

Alfred looked up at his owner and licked the coffee off his lips with his tongue.

Matthew would deal with the cat after he answered the phone. He reached over the cat and picked up the yellow, cracked telephone.

"Karpusi Cat Clinic. This is Matthew, how can I help you?"

"Yes, this is Honda Kiku- I mean Kiku Honda. Are you open?" The voice sounded worried and had an accent to it.

"No, we aren't open until nine unless it is an emergency."

"It is an emergency. I need to see the doctor right away."

"Um, this isn't that kind of place. Doctor Karpusi treats cats not people."

"Yes, yes, it is my cat. Well, it is not my cat, but it needs to see a doctor right away."

"Well, if it is an emergency then you can bring the cat here now."

"Good, good, I will be there in fifteen minutes." The click signaled that Kiku had hung up.

Matthew hung up his own phone and then picked up Alfred. He squeaked in protest and made a halfhearted attempt to wriggle out of the large arms.

"You've already had enough coffee. You need to stop sneaking out of your cage. Don't you want to get better and go home?" Matthew carried the cat back to his cage, put him in and shut the door.

Matthew headed into Heracles office and began to shake the sleeping veterinarian. He was a notoriously heavy sleeper and often took naps in between patients during the day. After a late night he was out like a light bulb.

"Heracles, you need to wake up. A cat is being brought in."

"Not time yet."

"It is an emergency."

Heracles sat up from his napping couch, stretched and yawned. He stood up and walked out of his office and into the bathroom. Matthew headed back to the reception desk, pausing to make sure Alfred had not made another escape attempt. When he was back at his desk he checked their database to see if anyone named Kiku Honda had brought a cat here before. There was no one with that name in the database. So Matthew started pulling out the forms that the man would have to fill out. He had everything ready by the time he heard the pounding at the door.

Matthew got up from the desk, went to the door and unlocked it. When he opened the door he saw an Asian man holding a small kitten wrapped in a towel.

"You must be Mr. Honda?"

"Yes."

"Come in," Matthew said. He stepped aside to let the man in. Once he was inside Matthew shut and locked the door again.

Heracles wandered into the reception area. His white coat was draped over his shoulders but he had not bothered to use the sleeves.

"What is the emergency?" his voice was sleepy and drawn out.

"This cat is dying. He needs to see a vet."

Heracles yawned. "Alright, follow me." Heracles led Kiku into the examination room and closed the door. "Set him on the table.

Kiku set the cat and towel down. He unwrapped it. The cat was white with brown patches. Its eyes were closed and there was a curious curl. It meowed pitifully. With an intensity that was at complete contrast to his normal laidback appearance, he began to examine the cat. He was poking, prodding, feeling and probing. He muttered softly under his breath reassuring words to keep the cat calm. The cat seemed to not need it and was perfectly fine with being manipulated like a rag doll.

"Is it serious? Will he die?"

"He is fine."

"That sounds- Wait, fine? How can this be? He cried so pitifully."

Heracles reached into a pocket and pulled a cat treat. The cat instantly perked up his head and grabbed it out of the vet's hands. He began to purr like a little motor and rub his head against Heracles.

"He is underfed. Bring him back in a month. Feed him this." Heracles used a notepad to write down a specific brand of cat food. He tore off the page and handed it to Kiku.

"Thank you," Kiku said very fast. He grabbed the cat and hurried out in embarrassment.

Heracles watched him leave. He wondered if the Asian man would come back for the follow up. He was not that bad looking.


	2. Follow-Up

Matthew had his text books out and was studying. He was studying to become a vet himself. Working here while going to school was a wonderful experience for him. Without thinking about it, he reached down and started petting the purring cat on his lap.

The door opened. He looked up.

"Hello, I'm here for the two o'clock appointment," Kiku said. He had a cat carrier clutched in his hands. Inside was a cat.

"Hi Mr. Honda, just take a seat in the waiting area. I have some forms I need you to fill out." Matthew stood up.

Alfred jumped off of his lap, looked up and meowed in disapproval.

"Alfred, when did you get out again? Excuse me one moment." Matthew picked up the cat and carried him back to the room of cages for the long term visitors.

Kiku was sitting in the uncomfortable looking orange, plastic chair when Matthew came back. The cat carrier was sitting on the floor at his feet. He was much calmer than on his last visit.

"Here, you just need to fill these out," Matthew said as he handed Kiku the clipboard that had been waiting on the desk.

"Thank you."

Matthew could not help peaking while the forms were being filled out. "So you named him Feliciano? That is a unique name for a cat."

"The name just seemed to fit," Kiku said, glancing down at the cat carrier.

Feliciano was happily napping away. It did not bother him that he was in a cage and about to see a vet. Being a stray, he had never really encountered one before his previous visit and that had not been very stressful for him.

The phone rang. Matthew went back to the desk to answer it. He sat down, opened a drawer, pulled out a file and set it down on the desk in front of him. He was quoting rates for keeping a cat at the clinic for quarantine periods.

Heracles entered the waiting room.

Kiku stood up, grabbing the cat carrier with a rough, jerking motion. Feliciano did not appreciate the sudden wake up, but only gave a half-hearted mew.

"You came from the follow up."

"Yes, I want to make sure Feliciano is healthy."

Heracles gave a lazy smile. "Follow me."

He led Kiku back to the examination room. Heracles shut the door once they were both inside.

"You can open the cat carrier door and let him out."

"Hai, I mean yes." Kiku set the carrier down on the linoleum floor. He crouched next to it and opened the door in the front.

No cat came out. Both men looked at each other and then looked down at the carrier.

"This isn't normal. Most cats can't wait to get out."

When they listened carefully they could hear the soft snoring of a cat.

"He sleeps a lot," Kiku apologized.

"A wise cat," Heracles said with a nod. "Never miss the chance to take a nap."

"You sound like a cat, Doctor Karpusi."

"I like them," Heracles said softly. He crouched down and gently pulled the sleeping cat out of the carrier. Without waking it up he set it on the examination table.

Kiku watched the doctor work. The soft and gentle expression on the face of Heracles was the look of a cat lover in his natural element. Kiku quickly looked away. He did not want to appear rude by staring.

"He is doing much better. What did you name him?"

"Feliciano."

"Feliciano gained enough weight. He is in the normal range for a cat his size and age. You need to switch him from the dense nutritional cat food to normal cat food."

"Wouldn't it be better to keep him on the current food?"

"No, he will get too fat if he is kept on it."

"Ah, I see."

"Do you want me to give him vaccinations?"

"Yes, please."

"I can give him a few today, but he will have to come back again for the rest. Before you leave you should schedule the next appointment with Matthew."

"I will."

Heracles moved to a small table and began preparing the shots, drawing the liquid from the vials and into the hypodermic needles. He did this three times. He set them down in a neat row. In a drawer was a pair of leather gloves that he took out and put on. He pet the cat, looking for a nice section of muscle. Finding it, he picked up the first shot. He administered it with a quick dart like motion. The cat opened its eyes. Before it could fully wake up he grabbed the next shot and administered that one. Heracles had the third shot in hand. The final vaccine was given before Feliciano could process what had happened.

The cat looked around with confusion on his face. He felt sore, but he could not figure out why. Feliciano gave a particularly pathetic meow. He was hungry and was ready to eat.

"You are very skilled with cats," Kiku said.

"No, he just is a heavy sleeper." Heracles was absently petting the cat.

"Is there anything else?"

"No, not until the next visit." Heracles put the cat back into his carrier. Feliciano was all too happy to go back into his nice and shady bed. He had a comfortable and fluffy towel to sleep on in there.

"I look forward to the next appointment," Kiku said before taking the carrier and heading back out to the desk in the waiting room.

"Mr. Honda, here is your bill. How will you be paying?" Matthew said.

"I will use a check. I need to schedule another visit for Feliciano. He needs shots."

"Alright," Matthew pulled up a calendar on the computer, "how about the twenty-second of next month?"

"Yes, that is fine."

"Do you prefer morning or evening?"

"Morning, please."

"How about eleven AM?"

"I would prefer if it was a little earlier."

"Then what about ten AM?"

"That is acceptable."

Kiku paid his bill and left with Feliciano. He was surprised that he was looking forward to his next visit.


End file.
